Soap-shaving device



Aug. 17 1926.

G: W` LANCASTER SOAP 4SHAVING DEVICE Filed July l5. 1925 .2 Sheets-Sheet l i i i ,A

Aug. 17, 1926.

1,596,437 G. w. LANCASTER SOAP SHAVING DEVICE Filed July l5. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 atroz nu?,

Patented Aug. 17, 1926.

PATENT FFlCE.

GEORGE W. LANCASTER, F RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

SOAP-SI-IAVING DEVICE.

Application led July 13, 1925. Serial No. 43,184.

It is well known that in public places cakes of soap are left in the water causing considerable dissolving and going to waste and, furthermore, hotels and similar public places under law are required to change the soap every day, thereby avoiding any two or more persons using the same cake of soap, and hence preventing the carrying of skin diseases.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a device for holding a cake of soap, with means therein for grating the soap into shavings, the soap being so supported in a container as to prevent access to the cake of soap by therusers, In this case persons in hotels and other similar public places may use the same cake of soap, without coming in contact with the cake itself, thereby making a great saving for the proprietors.

There are devices for grating cakes of soap, but many of these operate to move the soap toward the cutting or grating member, and in such instances means are provided to clamp the soap to followers, the followers having means to pierce the soap, and when the cake is reduced to a relatively small sliver, the sliver easily breaks or crumbles up, and in such cases the soap comes out in ieces, instead of shavings or in powdered condition. Other of such devices use rollers with sharp pointsr thereon to contact with the cake of soap for grating the same,` and again the soap will, when reduced to a relatively small sliver, break and discharge in pieces. Also, some of the devices have serv rated surfaces which revolve against the face of the soap, but in these the spaces between the Serrat-ions cake up anu prevent the serrations from cutting` the soap.k In other words, the serrated or corrugated surfaces eventually are so lcaled as to present a relatively smooth surface, which kwill merely smear against the face of the soap without cutting it. l

It is the purpose of the present invention to avoid these difliculties and to provide a rotating, cutting, or shaving member, which at the same time of holding the cake in position will shave the soa-p down to substantially its last portion. In fact, the relatively small sliver that may be left will be' retained in position and will be reduced al at. ta a @nere nothing, at which time ana other ycake of soap may be placed in position.

Some devices use springs to tension the holding means for the soap, for urging the soap toward the cutter. Such means are relatively old, and some of them are disposed to decrease the tension as the soap reduces in size, but the reducing of the tension 0f the springs in this instance is not for the same purpose as in the present case.

A still further purpose is to provide a moving follower, which also carries a re- Volvable shaving member, the follower being under tension of springs and adapted to clamp a cake of soap between an abutment and the shaving member, thereby enabling the cake of soap to be shaved off until it is reduced to a very thin sliver, there being means on the abutment to retain this sliver in position until it is practically no more than a shaving itseif, which will easily and conveniently discharge from the receptacle or retainer. y

A further purpose is to provide means for supporting the calze of' soap on its sides, hence preventing the same from turning, the abutment rhaving its face provided with means to assist in preventing the turning of the cake of soap, to insure uniform shavings which may discharge from the container or receptacle.

It is to be understood that the particulars herein given are in no way limitative and that,` while still keeping within the scope of the invention, any desired modifications of detail vand proportions may be made in vthe apparatus according to the circumstances.

The invention comprises further features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a view in perspective of the improved soap shaving device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

i Figure l is avertical sectional view on theline sw-t of Figure Figure 5 .te a

in perspective at follower Ywhich carries the revolvable shaving device.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a container which may be of any shape and size, preferably rectangular, as shown, and provided with a suitable conical dischargeA bottom 2. an opening 3, of sufficient size to permit of the discharge of shavings from the cake of soap a. rlhe container may be constructed of any suitable material, preferably sheet metal, which may be nickelplated, or otherwise finished ofi'.

Arranged transversely of the container and vertically therein is an abutment wall 5. This abutment wall has side flanges 6, which may be brazed, spot welded, or otherwise secured to the interior faces of the sides of the container, or secured by screws and nuts, as indicated at 7 in Figures 1, 2 and a. One face of the abutment wall is serrated or corrugated, as shown at 8, against which the cake of 'soap a may engage and be prevented from turning, when its surface is being shaved. The rear edge of the abutment wall is provided with al plurality of lateral arms 9, which art to prevent excessive discharge of the shavings from the soap. The number of arms may vary according` to the dimensions of the container and the circumstances.

The abut-ment wall adjacent the sides of the container has guide openings 10, the lower portions of which are curved toward each other and terminate in tapered walls.

rl` he openings 10 are provided for the purpose of guiding a follower 11, a detailed view of which is disclosed in Figure 5. The follower is constructed preferably of sheet metal, through not necessarily, and has side arms 12, which are bent to form loops 13, which pass through the guide openings 10. Attached by eyes or similar means 14 to the rear wall of the container are tension coil springs 15, which pass through openings 16 in certain end walls of the loops .13. and have their other ends connected to the ends of screws 17, which are carried by the other end walls of the loops. The construction and arrangements of the springs are such as to enable the springs to tension the follower and urge the same toward the abutment wall 5. A revolvable shaving member 1S is carried by the follower. The evolvable shaving member consists of a disk, constituting body 19, provided with radial cutting` knives 20. rlhough only four knives are herein disclosed, it is obvious that any number of knives may be used. They are disposed on the disk or body to assume positions perpendicular to the faces of the cake of soap, with their sharpened tapered cutting edges 21 in contact with the soap. The disk or body carries a shaft 22, which passes through and closely fits in an opening 23, in one wall of the follower, and also passes through an opening 24 in the front wall of the container. The shaft 22 carries a suitable handle 25, by which the shaft, together with the revolvable shaving member, may be rotated.

By reason of the ,follower being constantly under tension of the springs 15. urging` the cutting edges of the knives or blades toward the soap, the soap is clamped between the shaving device and the abutment wall, and obviously, the corrugations 8 of the wall materially preventing the cake of soap from turning. lt will be noted that the cake of soap will reduce in size as a result of every cutting action of the knives or blades of the revolvable sha-ving member, and due to the constant tension of the springs, and the fact that there is no force created on the cake of soap itself (as in the other devices hereinbefore mentioned), th-e cake of soap will reduce to a very thin sliver, not any more than what may be left between the corrugations or serrations 8 on the abutment wall. In this way a great saving is assured, while in devices previously mentioned the remaining portion of the cake of soap often breaks and discharges in relatively large pieces. Sometimes such pieces clog the discharge opening of a container. lVith the present construction of device such difliculties are readily avoided.

As the cake'of soap reduces in size to a relatively small sliver the tension of the coil springs 15 likewise gradually decreases, thereby relieving excessive pressure of the soap, and additionally preventing the same from breaking.

The adjacent sides of the opposed loops 13 (which are carried by the follower) have secured thereto spring blades 25, which extend downwardly and curve inwardly under the edge of the cake of soap, supporting the cake in position and a sufiicient distance above the arms 9. Bumpers -of any suitable material, preferably rubber of any consistency, designated by the numeral 26, are secured tothe upper portions of the adjacent faces of the spring blades 25. As previously stated, these bumpers are engaged by opposed edges of the cake of soap, thereby further preventing the movement of the soap. 1n fact, the downwardly and inwardly curved portions of the spring blades, the bumpers, together with the corrugations or serrations 8, all act together to insure prevention of the turning of the cake of soap.

vWhere the abutment wall 5 is disposed, the container is divided into two compartments, the one 27, receiving the follower, the revolvable shaving` member and the cake of soap, the other 28, constituting means for the reception of an aoditionalcake of soap, to be, installed in position between llO .ur nu) CII vsoap shaving device in position.

the shaving device and-the abutment when the first calre hasbeen used.

The `container lhas a 'portion of its yrear open as'at '29, and this opening, when the container disposed adjacent the -fa'ce of a wall, 4is closed by the wall. However, the opening 29 is provided for the-purpose of installing `the various operating parts vdf 'the The vside walls of the container adjacent their rear edges have lateral ears 30, which receive securing means,fas shown, to fasten the'c'ontainer to a wall or other stationary support.

rEhe upper part of the-container 'is open, thesame being, provided with a cover or lid Si., which is hingedly lmounted as 'at S32 to one side of thecontainer. The lid or cover has a hasp 33 through which a staple 34 m'av pass for the reception of a padlock or other suitable locking device whereby the cover or lidimay'be retained in a closed 1 position and hence prevent access to the soap, other than receiving the shavings from the discharge opening of the container.

The essential 'features of the present device consists in the idea of a shan/ing ydevice acting as a clamping medium, and ymowing with the followerandin the ydirection of the soap, which is constantly reducing, thereby avoiding any tension of 'the-soap whatever that would vcause the same to fracture or crumble up when it reduces to a smaller compass. Another essential feature is the idea of the springs reducing in tension as the caire of soap decreases in size, hence insuring prevention of -fracturing'or crumbling up of the soap.

By grasping the handle the shaft 22 may rotate and impart movement to the disk which carries cuttingknives 20. It is possible to rotate the shaft 22 in either direction, causing the cutting edges of the knives 2() to operate against the surface of the soap, and thereby shave the same.l the shavings discharging through the discharge opening of the container.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed is:

1. A soap shaving device, comprising a container with an internal abutment, and a tension follower means carrying a slidable but revolvable shaving device to clamp a calze of soap in position between the abutment and the device, thereby shaving the surface of the soap.

2. A device for the purpose indicated, comprising a container, an abutment therein. a follower means operable in the container toward the abutment, a revolvable shaving element carried by the follower means and means for drawing the revolvable shaving element and the follower means toward the soap with gradually decreasing tension as the soap reduces in size, the shaving element being movable away from 'the abutment through fthe lmedium of the 'folylower -means to perm-it 'ano'ther cali-e of soap Ito be inserted.

3. A device for the purpose indicated, comprising a container, an abutment therein dividingthe container into a storage compartment *and a soap shaving compartment, and follower nfieans guided'in the abutment, a revolvable shaving element operable with the follower means and between rwhiclli and the abutment the cale of soap may he posit-Paneelry a tensioning` -cevice connected to 'the wall ofthe container and infturnto the follower means for tensioning the latter decreasingly the shavingfelement moves toward the abutment and the calze of soap reduces in size.A

it. soap shaving device, comprising a einer with an internal abutment vand a liollower means carrying a revolvi device tofclamp a cake ofsoap in position between the abutment andlhe device, 'thereby .ing the surface of the soap, and means depending from the opposed portions of the vfollower means and directed toward each other for supporting the lowerfcdge of the calze of soap.

A device for the purpose indicated,

'comprising a container, an abutment therein,

a follower means operable in the container toward the abutment,a revolvable shaving element carried bythe follower means, and means for drawing the revolvableshaving element 'and the lfollower means toward the soap with gradually vdecreasing tension as 'the soap reduces'in size, andmeans dependfollower means for tensioning the latter dep creasingly as the shaving element moves toward the abutment and the cake of soap reduces in size, and means depending-from the opposed portions of the follower means and directed toward each other for supporting the lower edge of the cake of soap.

7. A device for the purpose indicated, comprising a container, an abutment therein dividing the container into a storage com-` partment and a soap shaving compartment, and follower means guided in the abutment, a revolvable shaving element operable with the follower means and between which and the abutment the cake of soap may be positioned, a tensioning device connected to the wall of the container and in turn to the follower means for tensioning the latter decreasingly as the shaving element moves toward the abutment and the cake of soap reduces in size, and means carried by the abutment and also means carried by opposed parts of the follower means to prevent turning of the cake of soap.

8. A device for the purpose indicated, comprising a container, an abutment therein, a follower means operable in the container toward the abutment, a revolvable shaving element carried by the follower means, and means for drawing the revolvable shaving element and the follower means toward the soap with gradually decreasing tension as the soap reduces in size, and retarding devices projecting from the lower part of the abutment in the path of the discharging shavings from the soap, thereby preventing` excessive discharge of the shavings.

9. A device for the purpose indicated, comprising a container, an abutment therein, a follower means operable in the container toward the abutment, a revolvable shaving element carried by the follower means, and means for drawing the revolvable shaving element and the follower means toward the soap with gradually decreasing tension as the soap reduces in size, and retarding de- 1 vices projecting from the lower part of the abutment in the path of the discharging shavings from the soap, thereby preventing excessive discharge of the shavlngs.l and means on the abutment to prevent turning or displacement of the cake of soap.

l0. A soap shaving device, comprising a container with an internal abutment, and a tension follower means carrying a revolvable shaving device slidable with respect to the follower means to clamp a cake of soap in position between the abutment and the device, thereby shaving the surface of the soap, said device having manual means slidable with regard to the container to move the device and the follower means against the tension means of the follower to permit in sertion of the soap.

ll. A soap shaving device comprising a container with an internal abutment, a tensioned follower means, a shaving` element mounted in and for movement slidable with regard to the follower means and the container to clamp a-calre of soap between the abutment and the element, whereby the follower means may be moved relative to the container against its tensioning action to permit the insertion of a cake of soap.

l2. A soap shaving device comprising a container with an internal abutment, a tensioned follower means, a shaving element mounted in and for movement slidable with regard to the follower means and the conrainer to clamp a cake of soap between the abutment and the element, whereby increased oressure may be applied upon the device independently of the follower means for increasing the size of the shavings of soap.

In witness whereof, the inventors signature is hereunto afiXed.

GEQRGE l/T. LANCASTER. 

